Hot Shots II

stellar scottish popping gold

The album cover is nothing like what I thought this was going to sound like. I love the beta band!

Really pleasant to listen to. Creative mix of genres and very melodic. Sometimes sounds close to My Morning Jacket mixed with electronic dance style.

10/10 wtf this is so good, how have I never heard of this before

This is a good vibe, not something I've heard before. I dig it.

I didn't expect to like this but it's really great!

LOVED this album. Very novel listening experience and even when the artistic choices were odd it was a lot of fun. The harmonies on Al Sharp slapped.

Wow wow wow! An album and group I'd never heard of, but it was simply music that I loved listening to today! No having to think about it or look for the artistry or look for the message or the relevance or whatever, but just really lovely stuff all around!

Something new and appealing to my ears! For about half the album I was enjoying it, but I wasn’t sure if it was a 5 or just a nice 4. Then it broke through.

Hooray! After a week of 2s and 3s, finally something that sings to me again! I guess I know the song Squares because of Six Feet Under? The rest was unfamiliar but I really dig this folktronica business. Listened twice and am tempted to start it once more. Really really good.

The Beta Band is new to me. The first time through I enjoyed a lot of this, but on the second listen its unique properties really started to blossom and I discovered many interesting moments that cohere well into very enjoyable music. Very good!

I don't know how I missed The Beta Band, but this is impressive. This is the first time I've wanted to dive into an artist further!

LOVED this one. Listened to it twice while I was in the kitchen. The vibe is very good, relaxed, but still interesting.

Is squares the origins of I fell asleep among the flowers for a couple of hours, or was that a sample here too? Regardless, smooth, fun, groovy, dancable, very cool.

I was thoroughly impressed with this, as I expected a very different sound, but the laid-back energy and downtempo drones here actually compliment each other quite well.

Maybe this is my NEW FORMS?

Excellent trippy sound. Definitely listen more and more

Hot Shots II has always been a favorite of mine. It's like a perfectly smooth surface with small intereting kinks and imperfections that become obvious the more you zoom in. I can easily listen to this one on repeat. Does it deserve a place on the list? It's a tough call but I do think there's something unique here, even compared to their contemporaries, like Beck, Four Tet, or Caribou.

Perfect.

One of the best live bands i've ever seen. at one point they had two drum kits being played by 4 people and it somehow sounded brilliant and nowhere near as ridiculous as the concept of 4 drummers on two kits sounds. i also saw the aliens headline the park stage at glasonbury and that was up there as one of my best festival gigs ever too. can't help but think they were in the wrong era, bands that do similar things to them these days appear to be much bigger than the beta band ever got to.

If anal fingering was a sport, this record would be the world champion.

01) Squares - 9,0 02) Al Sharp - 8,0 03) Human Being - 7,5 04) Gone - 7,0 05) Dragon - 7,5 06) Broke - 7,5 07) Quiet - 8,0 08) Alleged - 7,5 09) Life - 7,0 10) Eclipse - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,60 (76/100) Current ranking: 369/968

Pas mal je connaissais pas

Have been meaning to listen to the Beta Band for a while, so good to have my hand forced here. Really liked it and some great tracks, looking forward to hearing more.

#995. I listened to this while hungover, and I honestly think that might be the strategy. Some music is best paired with certain drugs that seem to make it better, but I think Beta Band is best paired with too much alcohol yesterday. 4/5: decent

thought it was my first time hearing of "the beta band" turns out i heard them once in "high fidelity". i assumed i wouldn't enjoy the album much in the beginning but it surprised me. i thought there was a pretty good variety (might be because i listened to the second half at a different time).

Very good

Great bunch of lads

geen idee waar ik squares van ken, mooi album. zwakt wel af naar het einde

Rate: 8/10.

One of the most unique albums so far, fun vibes Highlights: "Human Being", "Broke", "Alleged"

Loved this.

Melancholy at it's best.

This album surprised me. Had heard of The Beta Band before but always thought they were a soul R&B type combo. Their name and the album title reinforced that error. Then found out they were Scottish. Now I don’t like to stereotype but I’m sat here watching a report about the Scottish football fans on tour in the US on the eve of their World Cup opener. I doubt if many of the any of these Tam O’Shanter kilted warriors have this album on their playlist. I suspect Biffy Clyro are a more likely accompaniment to their $20 a pint Tennents beer substitute than this album. But I’m English and the laid back vibe appealed to me in the same way no doubt England will perform and add to the list of failures. 4/5 12/6/26

Really enjoyed this one, like a trippier, less-focused Hookworms

I like it it’s funky and giving me some beach boys vibes I enjoyed listening to it

I liked it :) one of my favorites so far squares was great

Muy bueno

How did i miss this band in 2001? They're practically local to me! Anyway a Scottish version of Flaming Lips or Beck. Fabulous!

This one is good! Sound like a mix of trip hop and ambient and hip hop and pop and all of these things combined. Love it!

Fun, chill album

me likey quite a lot

super nice

The Beta Band is a weird one. They definitely do strange things with their sound and mix. I remember when they opened for Radiohead on the Kid A tour. The weirdness even struck me then, way out in an audience of high people waiting for the main band. And it’s weird that they’re on this list until you remember that they’re in the pocket for the editor of “The Book.” Thing is, I continued to listen to the Beta Band here and there over the years and they have grown on me. In a very interesting way. My husband can’t stand the way the vocals often sound like they’re coming from behind a mattress behind the rest of the band. It drives him up a wall. They do come to the foreground at key moments, but it’s only a moment and not enough to keep his attention. Still… I think it’s a feat the way they have worked into me. Despite the weirdness. 4 Boolean: yes, gotta say yes

This was pretty alright. I liked the sound, and it kinda reminded me of Jack Johnson in places, and someone else, but I can't quite place who. Anyway I dug it, nice positive lyrics and happy feel most of the way through, but with some spooky/mysterious vibes too. I listened to it twice and enjoyed it, but I probably wouldn't listen again. Four stars.

Experimental but i like it!

very cool

Christ that cover. 4/5

I could see myself get lost in a lot of this album.

I first didn't think this was as good as the other Beta Band album that was generated a while back but by the end felt like this was the better album. This is super weird, but still somehow stays together enough to be a cohesive album. Not much else to say but it is weird and I like it. Surprised these guys don't get more hype ( at least in my corner of the world).

I’d never heard of the Beta Band before, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. It’s a bit psychedelic and experimental with some electronic flair, but the production still felt minimalist and not over the top. Overall, it comes together in a really good way.

It was ok. Kinda chill listening stuff. The album itself did not really knock me away but the band could be good. Maybe worth checking out later but better than average. 4/5.

Never heard this before but I quite like it. Chill guitar-driven lo-fi pop-rock. I guess quite influential on a lot of noughties lo-fi music?

Love Eclipse. Like what you could do editing with tape or something.

Hot Shots II is the second full-length album from the Beta Band, the critically acclaimed group from Scotland. They made a folk-based version of trip hop, creating an interesting twist on brit pop/alt rock. Their first three releases, all EPs, caught considerable positive critical attention. The Beta Band never found the success that their initial work may have predicted; they only released three full-length LPs, and never found significant commercial success with any of them. Hot Shots II is the best produced and best critically received of their LPs. It includes "Squares," a smooth, engaging example of the trip hop that Beta Band made.

Hadn't heard them before but it feels like this could've been made in the 70s or today, their voices sound a lot like Parcels but with guitars like Pink Floyd

3.5 Listened to this quite a bit back in day. Mostly holds up. Psychedelic trip hop laid back crooning

I fully expected that this would be some boring and loud post-grunge album but it wasn’t, so my ears got a pleasant surprise today. 4/5.

Honestly, this was pretty good! I really enjoyed the vocals and instrumentals and I think I'll return to this one. 7/10

Þægileg og skemmtileg, gladdi mig við garðverkin í dag. Mjög til í að hlusta aftur.

**Hot Shots II** (2001) represents The Beta Band's creative rebound—a deliberate step back from the willful chaos of their self-titled 1999 debut toward something more focused and song-oriented. Released during the twilight of Britpop and the rise of post-rock electronica, the album captures a band synthesizing pastoral folk, trip-hop, and psychedelia into a distinctive, if polarizing, sonic identity. ## Music & Production The most immediately striking aspect of *Hot Shots II* is its production aesthetic. Enlisting C-Swing (Colin Emmanuel), known for his work with pop/R&B artist Jamelia, the band traded their previous lo-fi collage approach for something more polished and groove-oriented . The result is what critics described as a "neo-psychedelic folk-rock album for the 21st century" —organic electronics pulsing beneath acoustic textures, with R&B drum patterns and shiftless dance beats providing the backbone . The album operates in a contained, repetitive mode—a "rinse and repeat" philosophy, as one critic noted, comparing it to shampoo instructions . Where previous Beta Band records reveled in zany samples and sloppy experimentation, *Hot Shots II* locks into grooves and stays there. Tracks like "Al Sharp" exemplify this approach: xylophones, sampled strings, groovy basslines, and gorgeous multi-tracked vocals create something meditative and richly textured . "Dragon" morphs from blissful trip-hop into raucous dub-rock before retreating into lo-fi psychedelia , while "Broke" deploys raw, temperate beats alongside 8-bit sounding synths . The sound palette is diverse yet cohesive: jangling guitars, sad lilting piano motifs, sitar drones, and an arsenal of samples, wheezes, beeps, and clicks . There's a Stone Roses-esque baggy shuffle to several songs, with "Alleged" and "Human Being" recalling the blunted loucheness of Happy Mondays . The production maintains a "meticulous" density—quiet, languorous, and meticulously arranged . ## Lyrics & Themes Frontman Steve Mason's lyrics on *Hot Shots II* occupy a strange poetic territory—"brain-fried, hippy-dippy" yet oddly affecting . Thematically, the album is a "dizzy, magical voyage of self-discovery" , with Mason sounding perpetually "doleful and dislocated, knocked out of emotional sync" . The opening track "Squares" sets an ominous tone with lines like "I've seen the demons but they didn't make a sound" , while the album's lyrical references range from spaceships to pizza consumption as symbols of personal fulfillment . "Quiet" addresses agoraphobia with surprising tenderness: "You can go outside where the sun and the people blind you / You can go outside where the love of the people finds you" . "Life" poses existential questions with a folk-hop lament: "I want to be somebody else, I feel I wanna be free… is this me for life?" . By the closing track "Eclipse," Mason arrives at a Zen-like affirmation: "Can't keep quiet for long / I'm a human being / Can't help singing a song / I'm a human being" . Throughout, the lyrics function more as chant-like mantras than narrative storytelling—they "don't bear a lot of scrutiny" individually but fit the album's overall trance-like scheme . The repetition is deliberate, sometimes hitting lines "over your head" until they become part of the rhythmic hypnosis . ## Influence & Legacy *Hot Shots II* arrived at a cultural crossroads. The Beta Band had already gained notoriety through the film *High Fidelity* (2000), where John Cusack's character famously declares he'll sell "five copies of The 3 EPs" —a moment that cemented their status as a "secret undiscovered gem" in indie culture, for better or worse. The album's influence is diffuse but recognizable. Critics drew parallels to Super Furry Animals' wilful eclecticism and Talk Talk's "creepy child-like melodies" , while others noted the "prototype Gorillaz" quality in its trip-hop/rock fusion . Its blend of pastoral British folk with electronic production anticipated directions later explored by artists like Alt-J . The album also shares DNA with Primal Scream's *Screamadelica*—"organic electronics stripped of glorious Ecstasy epiphanies and embellished instead with towering Gregorian harmonies" . Despite its innovations, the band's commercial impact remained limited. *Hot Shots II* is often regarded as their "happy medium"—the moment they balanced experimentation with accessibility —though history has somewhat forgotten it compared to *The Three EPs*. It was removed from later editions of the *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die* book , suggesting its canonical status has diminished over time. ## Pros - **Focused songcraft**: After the unfocused sprawl of their debut, the album delivers "tight, accessible songs that had structure, hooks and the best of their songwriting prowess" - **Lush production**: C-Swing's sheen combined with the band's ramshackle looseness hits a "happy medium" - **Hypnotic grooves**: The repetitive, trance-inspired approach creates an entrancing listening experience that rewards both close attention and background immersion - **Distinctive atmosphere**: The "quiet tone" and "slightly languorous" beats create a unique nighttime mood that has "aged gracefully" - **Standout tracks**: "Squares," "Al Sharp," "Dragon," and "Quiet" represent some of the band's finest moments - **Vocal harmonies**: The multi-tracked vocals and Beatles-esque three-part harmonies on tracks like "Eclipse" demonstrate sophisticated arrangement skills ## Cons - **Loss of weirdness**: The "cleansing" of the band's trademark zaniness and willingness to experiment leaves some fans missing the beautiful chaos of earlier work - **Vocal limitations**: Mason's "low key and boring delivery" and "mumbled whispering" can grate over a full album; his voice is an acquired taste that some find "pretentious" or "droning" - **Repetition fatigue**: The album's reliance on looping grooves and lyrical mantras can feel like "padding for time" , with some tracks "fading carbon copies" of each other - **Uneven engagement**: Several listeners report the album "never leaving first gear" or becoming background music that "eases through the ears and out the other side with barely a mark left" - **Lyrics vs. sound**: The "chant-like lyrics" referencing spaceships and pizza don't always reward close reading - **Inconsistent impact**: While some tracks soar, others feel like "willful weirdness designed to disrupt the listener's flow" ## Verdict *Hot Shots II* is ultimately "The Improbable Band" making the improbable work —a record that "really, really shouldn't work, but history will prove The Beta Band right" . It succeeds as a mood piece: a sleepy, late-night album that finds its groove and luxuriates in it . While it may lack the revolutionary spark of *The Three EPs* or the commercial punch of their contemporaries, it represents a crucial middle ground in early-2000s British music—where folk intimacy met electronic expansion, and where willful eccentricity finally learned to coexist with songcraft.

Surprised I ended up really enjoying this! I like the sound and can see myself listening to this album again and again.

Love the band, love this album. So weird but so commercial. Followed Steve Masons solo career post Beta Band. Maybe let down by a couple of tracks.

Clever. Like the overall style and presentation. Not fully enamored of the singing style.

Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 2 Emotionality: 2 = 3.6 rounded up to a 4 "The people with the questions smile/ And the people with the answers lie They lie/ So no pizza for them" I love The Beta Band. I first heard them during what I think was the last real time when I could truly get excited about new music. I discovered them, like a lot of Americans via the High Fidelity soundtrack and fell in love. I do have to say that I think I prefer Three EP's over this, but I'm guessing the format of that disqualified it from being considered as an album? Either way, I know this has some of their best stuff on it. And it has been a hot minute, so maybe I'll look more kindly on this one's flaws. THE TRACKS "Squares" - One of their best. A trip hop, dream pop confection. Screw that new age shit, this is MY PURE MOODS. I think this track might actually be lowering my blood pressure while I'm listening to it. One of the things they do best is atmosphere, and this is a prime example. "Al Sharp" - I know I'm much, much older but even with the sound settings fully cranked here I was struggling to hear everything. That's my only big knock though as this is a nice gentle ride down a lazy river of a song. If the last song lowered my blood pressure, you might need to check me for a pulse after this one. Harmonies and xylophones. Two things that will almost always earn extra points from me. The only thing missing are some hand claps. Best casual mention of Megazords that I can think of in a song. "Human Being" - Another of their best. Psych folk, with some electronic flourishes. When that beat comes in... something switches off in my brain, then that lonesome horn follows. Chef's kiss. This seems like the template to me for bands like Django Django with the layers upon layers formula. Beta Band lean very hard into the repetitive chanty vocals that build and build. There's just as much Radiohead in the DNA of this one by the end as there was Beck in the beginning. "Gone" - The comedown from the chaos of the last song takes us further into Radiohead territory here. Beautiful and mournful, the sparseness of this one works in spades, especially in contrast with the busyness we've heard so far. This is a bit of a breather, but it still soars briefly around 2:25 mark. "Dragon" - I think it had to happen I guess. This one, while well-constructed just doesn't do it for me. I think it comes in too strong with that echoey beat that sounds to clean and high in the mix. If it could have started RIGHT at 1:14, this might have been a keeper. The fuzzy synth line and the rising vocals - great. But then it dips back into that hard electronic drum beat. Just not as cohesive as I'd like. "Broke" - Perfect counterpoint where the electronic beat feels WAY more integrated. The big fat bassy-y syth line that is the first of many hooks in this one. Delightfully understated piece form them that is still somehow their most danceable on here. "Quiet" - Another of their best. Aside from "Dry the Rain" which is not on here, I think this is their other best track. It highlights everything they do well. Builds wonderful atmosphere while deftly blending all theses disparate genres into an ear-wormy, energetic yet lazy at the same time concoction that I could listen to on repeat. "Alleged" - Pleasant enough, but not essential. This one felt too slight compared to everything else, and doesn't hook me. Solid filler, but filler nonetheless. Recovers "Life" - They try and recover though with this. Also comparatively simple, but all the elements work better together and this one's hummable in a way the previous one was not. Still, felt like an afterthought of a track. Possibly the most trip hoppy influences shine thru here, which is not my favorite part about the band. "Eclipse" - Some of the best harmonies on the album in what feels almost like music has been added to the text of a children's book. "Yellow Submarine" vibes. Nothing flashy here whatsoever, but the almost 4 minutes of calm, drowsy Benadryl dreaming is worth it when it explodes briefly with energy. A solid, hand-holding psychedelic comedown. HIGHLIGHTS - "Square - "Al Sharp" - "Human Being" - "Gone" - "Broke" - "Quiet" - "Eclipse" MIDLIGHTS - "Dragon" -"Alleged" - "Life" LOWLIGHTS - Not sure they're capable of shitting the bed like that FINAL THOUGHTS I have not looked at the global reviews for this, but I can imagine Beta Band being very divisive. "Why does this guy sound like a Muppet?" "Beck did it better." "Django Django is just a better version of this band." All valid criticisms... from a certain point of view. I usually don't bother myself too much with dragging anyone for their influences unless it seems like outright theft, because otherwise, there'd be a lot less great music to listen to. Beta Band does what it does well, but it is a very narrow lane, and as a result I think when you pile enough content up in one small space, it can get hard to differentiate. That said, the only quibbles I have here are very minor, and mainly with the lull on the back half. I'll still always prefer listening to this band via their hits on shuffle. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Throw those highlights together with the best from Three E.P.'s and you more or less have their Greatest Hits comp. FURTHER LISTENING - Long Season by Fishmans - Radiator by Super Furry Animals - Under the Western Freeway by Grandaddy - Emperor Tomato Ketchup by Stereolab

Unexpectedly excellent, and seemingly an predecessor of the "chillwave" sound that become increasingly popular through the late 2000s until the mid-2010s. I enjoyed the carefree, quirky (but not twee) energy here. Lots of very catchy choruses, and nice bits of organic instrumentation. Surpasses its awful album cover.

i wasn’t sure at first but eventually i liked it; found it very calm and collected, yet whimsical and meaningful. my cup of tea

Це для мене прям відкриття, не шарив абсолютно цей гурт і попадання можливо не ідеальне в мій смак, але близько до того. Я ще подивився що в них є цікавий більш ранній матеріал (3 ЕР), так що буду досліджувати.

I was not familiar with this group but loved this album.

fuck yes

Quite fun actually

This was hard to describe even after listening to it twice but it had a cool sound and I will probably listen to it again.

2/3. Pretty damn cool album, I wish more albums (rock especially) had a low end and rhythm section like this. Legit sub bass that shakes your car and hard drums, but paired with great melodies and fun lyrics. Glad this came on.

Trippy, like Hot Chip or French Kicks.

Ive only heard Dry The Rain and Inner Meet Me before but this album was really good.

Álbum muito bom!

These guys had a moment in the 90s and I had never heard of them! Some cool stuff. I love the Brits, god bless 'em.

this is gooood stuff

Bardzo fajny album. Odpowiada mi klimat.

Droning and dreamy, this album opens with chill beats and tempos on the first three tracks, contemplative and meditative. The first track samples that "Daydream" song that keeps popping up in movies and music. "Broke" breaks out a hip-hop drum corps beat and kicks up a fun groove. Many of these songs have irresistible quirky grooves - it's a vibe. Vocals are done in a throaty, chill way with lots of harmony tracking kind of like in the song Fearless by Pink Floyd. Like their song "Dry The Rain" that was used in High Fidelity, it seems like this band is all about quirky grooves and I'm here for it. Gonna try to remember to pick up a copy of this somewhere.

Always wanted to fully get into them and this is a nice place to start!

Rock doux et presque psyché sur certaines parties. Instrumental de voix parfois, avec arrangements vocaux. Me fait étrangement penser à un autre groupe, avec des voix qui trainent dans le temps, assez lentes et des rythmiques assez répétitives. Groupe écossais qui se dit faire du psyche, electro, folk. Propulsé par Radiohead et Oasis notamment grâce aux premières parties, le groupe ne dure que 8 ans mais intéressant sur la recherche musicale.

Hidden gem, plenty of songs that I recognised but had no idea who the band was

nice and chill fav song: Broke

Something about these guys…… it’s nothing fancy, it’s just good meat-and-potatoes alterna-rock. I like it even though I can’t really tell you why.

Great mellow, hypnotic, warm and interesting songs from the Beta Band. Not my favourite in the Beatas and Steve Masons output but it is hard not to like it Excellent headphones music.

lekkere plaat! verder weinig toe te voegen, heb genoten

good! still don't wrap my head entirely around what this band is about

Idek what to write for this but it made me quite happy.

this is the one that came out after they “blew up” (by indie standards) when Dry The Rain got an unexpected feature in High Fidelity, and somehow they delivered an album that surpassed expectations. Somewhere between early Pink Floyd psychedelia and trip hop, it's an album that sounds familiar and fresh at the same time. It's a fairly languid affair, easing into the opener until it becomes clear that they've taken “Daydream” and made it funky. The fun continues, with few tracks really standing out but the entire album lays down a vibe that I really enjoy. One that works equally well whether it's on in the background or you are intensely listening, recommended

I've not heard this band in like 15 years, but Squares was one of those songs that just lived on my MP3 player, you know? And it turns out the album was great too.

Honestly, a pretty good trip hop album

Beyond the sample in that first track this was all new to me! What a unique record, with so many influences! :)

Solid beginning to end

A nice relaxing album. Not the most exciting thing in the world but if you want something calming it’s the exact sort of thing you want to listen to.

I'm impressed. I was expecting something less mature, and more pop. The effort is still commercially accessible, it definitely pulls a lot of inspiration from a very large pool of talent and blends it into something unique, while still giving that cool-kid indie-rock vibe. It's not a cookie-cut band giving people what they want to hear, it's more a group of creatives making new decisions over a genre that suits the upcoming generation. It sounds newer than it is, I can imagine the influence this must've had. I see myself putting this back on in the future. Maybe snagging a copy for the collection. Definitely keeping an ear out when I see their name swing by. 3.9/5

Laid back and chilled

surprisingly solid

Funky digestible tracks

I really liked this one, it’s smooth and dreamy and 90s in a really fun way. Perfect music for eating a takeaway slightly tipsy!

Classic album for when you’re 16 and think you’re the only person to know about the band and you feel really cool but then you just realise that all the hipster gen x dads already love it. Pretty solid psychy trip hop, but maaaaybe a bit too soft and not edgy enough for my tastes now

good mix of r&b with electronica

Solid songs. Didn’t stick out to me the most but there were some cool moments.

Interesting! (Discoveries like this are why I signed up for this 1001 expedition.) Maybe the Beatles at their most scewed-pop experimental? (Or Pink Floyd at their most accessible!) Given the jittery, electronically layered nature of some tunes, it can be hit or miss, but overall, I like the proggy pop melodies more often than not. (One more reference more: maybe a progenitor to a more contemporary band like black country, new road?

Quite liked it

They took a walk among the flowers for a couple of hours and came up with a pretty good album.

Squares and Dragon were the best tracks. Weird, atmospheric, sort of deep, decent lyrics, and psychedelic. Quite enjoyed it, just a bunch of lads making the music they wanted. It did blur together a little too often, to be fair, but a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Listening to this stuck in traffic makes me feel odd. Like it

Unique, lofi, surreal sound. Dry, muffled drums, warping guitars, glittering synths, melancholy but earnest vocals. Every track holds a distinct character, but there is still a consistent style across the album. Describing something like this succinctly is difficult, so I guess to put it succinctly, I like it!

Loved it

This is a great album to work to. Enjoyable melodies, nothing distracting, great for focusing. Dig it.

its not too bad of an album i would listen to this on shrooms

Areal pleasure. As if Penguin Cafe tried to do songs.

Tolle Rhythmusgruppe, coole Stimme, alles etwas weird. Hatte das Album vor ein paar Jahren mal gehört, da war es nichts für mich. Jetzt schon.

Chill, but catchy and well constructed. Perfect for a morning listen.

Some inventive production work here, but the songs are kinda blah. Don't think The Beta Band deserves a spot in the book, really.

Now, THIS is the reason I’m doing this challenge. I’ve never heard of Beta Band, but I can hear their influences in bands I do live, like Radiohead and Gorillaz. I downloaded this album for future listens, but at this point it’s a 4.5/5, rounded down to a 4.

a bright meteor

I would listen to this again for sure.

Hot Shots! Part Deux - they were really scraping the barrel at this point weren't they with a ridiculous plot involving Saddam Hu.......................... sorry, what's that? I've listened to the wrong thing?

I listened to their final album a couple weeks back and it seemed unfocused and haphazard. This album is much tighter, with far fewer random musical larks.

This is clearly not their best album. Their best album, as everyone knows, is the one with "Dry The Rain" on it, as heard in the film "High Fidelity". That's really all I know about The Beta Band. Maybe 1001 albums didn't count "The Three EPs" album as it's a compilation, but then it included a Hives album that was a compilation so what's the deal? ANYWAY, I liked this. I'm giving it four stars just because I've not listened to the Beta Band much beyond that one song and I feel that I should investigate further.

Fantastic album. Always loved.

Interessant zu hören. Eine schöne Rock/Pop Mischung, eingängige Melodien. 4/5

Charming, which is not a word I often use to describe this genre.

I enjoyed this, it’s got enough quirky strangeness to keep me listening, I kept thinking I was hearing Paul McCartneys voice though! Overall 3.75/5

Terribly enjoyable. Feels like the missing with the Gorillaz.

Shitty album cover, good music. Lovely 4/5

Such a fun album. Still holds up; consistent through and through

Lo-fi, interesting, irregular.

Piaceve scoperta. Dalla copertina non ci avrei scommesso un euro e invece molto molto figo, soprattutto la seconda metà del disco. Bello il mix elettronica e strumenti acustici. 4 1/2

Ovo mi je uvik bilo lošije od Three eps ali u biti uopće nije loše

Decent vibes on here and i was pleasantly surprised. The opening song really caught my attention and then the rest wasn’t too bad to jam to.

listening when: all morning thoughts: bangers back to back i truly got blessed. proving the point that 2009s music is the best ever rating: 8/10

One interesting song after another starting with the highlight.

pretty cool stuff i think

Not bad! Very smooth vibes, good bass, super listenable and some fun songs.

Very nice listening especially considering yesterday's album. I like the mellow voice and almost ethereal sounds. However, some songs almost sound like parodies of themselves, which is interesting, but I don't think that was where they wanted to go.

123/1001 The Beta Band - Hot Shots II Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ✅ Considering the god awful album art, this took me by surprise somewhat. Really enjoyed it on first listen. There's some interesting experimentation on here, some of it absolutely works and other times it doesn't always come off. It's the quintessential 3.5 star album, but I'm being generous this morning and rounding it up.

I liked this

Bandet alle musikere elskede men ikke forstod blev de kaldt. det er meget eksperimenterende og har trip hop lag til sig/down tempo. Teksterne er meget sjove synes jeg og igen eksistentielle (har lige haft cat stevens). Endte med at lytte til det her hele dagen, selvom jeg ved første listen følte jeg havde fanget lyden lidt. Men jeg endte faktisk med at tilføje nogle flere numre end bare første listen. Så det kan være jeg skal tilbage til at lytte til albums lidt mere end bare én gang. Men nu viste det her sig så også at være noget jeg rigtig godt kan lide. Elsker Electronica/indie rock/trip hop kombinationen og de lidt obskure tekster. Det er meget stemningsfuldt og kræver velsagtens også et lidt stemningsfuldt humør at lytte til det. Jeg tror fremover at jeg vil tilføje adjektiver jeg kan ctrl F søge efter til fremtiden, når jeg gerne vil vende tilbage til specifikke albums eller hvis jeg er et bestemt sted i livet. Drømmende Melankolsk Rolig Eftertænksom Reflekterende

Cool grooves and some awesome harmony with a little weirdness in there. Fun album

Huge SFA vibes from this one, will listen again

Pretty cool

Enjoyed more than I expected.

Liked it! Knew Squares already but had not really ever thought to listen to this album.

Dachte, das wird nichts, war dann aber doch ganz spaßig.

Squares is a great song and I enjoyed the rest of the album, but it did start to get a bit samey.

I don't see myself listening too much in the future, but this was really unique and interesting. I'm really leaning to 4 stars on this one so I'm going for it!

7/10… indietronica / trip hop

I love these guys and, though this is not my favorite by them (that would be The 3 Ep's), this is a really good album. It's a bit more muted rhythmically than their other stuff but their weird, neo-psychedelic, ambient vibe shines through. "Shapes" is a great opener that sets the tone. Not as shaggy and tribal as some of their other stuff gets and I often wish they would break loose and get more chaotic. For the most part, this is quieter and more controlled.

Probably their best album, although there are a couple of terrible tracks hidden in there. Still, at least it doesn't have The Beta Band Rap on it.

good

I like Bets Band this is second album I’ve come across during this project. Liked the Day Dreamin’ song

I really enjoyed, like kinda ethereal rock with electronic vibes but early electronic vibes would compare to some radiohead

Meh

i’ll listen to the entire album and found it compelling throughout the first song of the project really surprised me because I knew it and it’s just amazing, but I didn’t know it was from this album. It had it strong moments, especially with the first song but it also had it mediocre moments I would say that’s why I rated a mid 7 out of 10.

I could see how this might not be for everyone, but it is undeniably good, and "original" in many ways. I think it is "very good," but nothing that blows my socks off. They found a formula to make very interesting songs in a style that cleverly mixes brit rock and electronica. I remember this album from when it came out but never truly got into them. However, I do like it and respect it.

Best cool. Niet geweldig, maar wel origineel. Net 4

Didn't think I'd of this band but recognised Squares. Still, it was all new to me and I quite enjoyed the mellow laid-back minimalist vibe

I guess I am a sucker for folk, psychedelia, electronica, post-rock, trip hop tunes.

Beta Band clearly are a band to listen to for getting into a flow state with work. Haven't listened much to any of the lyrics but managed to bosh through several albums back to back without any complaints or ever feeling bored.

to me these guys are the melancholy beach boys. i like this album, i’ve added it to my library. had a huge ‘OHH!!!’ moment at the first song, recognizing it from I think severance. the song ‘alleged’ makes me think vaguely of alt-j, think it’s the harmonized speak-singing. i like the ambiance of the album, i tend to like synth and kinda wet-sounding bass, with a solid amount of strange instrumentals. i know this is classified as pop, but i really don’t know what you would call this sort of music. adding to my rotation of albums to do work to.

If ever a little known album by a little known band deserved to be on the list this it. I know and like 'Dry the Rain' but hadn't heard any of these tracks before and absolutely loved it. Played it end to end on headphones and got really into it. Really imaginative stuff, really unusual, great sound, great sequence of tracks throughout. A whisker away from a 5 on first listen 🎶

Although the music is quite understated and unobtrusive, there's something really strange about this album. I'd say they're somewhere inbetween trip hop and folk indie rock. Two styles that couldn't be any more different from each other. At least for this record, it kind of works. Some cool ideas and decent execution. Not one I'll likely revisit, but cool enough for a spin.

So great. Hadn’t listened to this album Im like 20 years, and it holds up.

Cool sounds. Sometimes haunting and creepy, sometimes psychedelic and beautiful. Love the trip hop elements.

First song sounds familiar but Im unable to place it. Overall an enjoyable album, which I had a fun time running to.

4/5

I feel like it’s rare to hear music in this genre that injects humor into the mix and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, particularly the last song “eclipse”.

Great stuff

I think the reason this one made it on the list is because it does a pretty decent job mixing genres. It has hints of electronic, psych, and hip hop all while sounding pretty indie still. The production was pretty solid on this one. I enjoyed it a decent amount but I could see how this might be a bit boring for other listeners.

This was cool. Its what I would have described as "chill indie" back when this came out. I like the kind of r&b elements to it. (notably sampled by Lupe Fiasco). The dream like vibes of this are really smooth and easy to groove to. I listened to this on a tram going up to the Aiguille du Midi this morning and it was kind of perfect for that sunrise solace. It does kind of start to get repetitive and one song from the next gets hard to distinguish, but overall, I enjoyed this!

What a strange, comforting listen this was! The influence from Radiohead is obvious, but it's like if 00s Yorke and co. decided to make some easy listening music instead of trying to alienate the listener.

I actually liked the vibe of this a good bit I think! I wanna relisten to it more but there's a good few tracks I liked immediately.

Never listened before and for some reason had low expectations. Rather enjoyed it though.

This was a good listen. I liked it more then "Heroes to Zeros". Had a similar sound to the 3eps.

I quite enjoyed this one, but I like The Beta Band. I liked this one more than Heros to Zeros.

I liked this well enough, but I seek out triphop and lofi so this is right up my alley. the vibe was good and dancey in that slow, flow way that I enjoy. I added 2 songs to my liked songs playlist so this gets 4 stars. Best songs: Squares and Human Being

Really enjoyable

I had never heard of this before, but it was super chill and I found myself liking it way more than I thought I might.

Listened in the truck via YouTube music. I had not listened to this album at all before today. It could have been made anytime in the past 40 years. Mixing elements of rock, dub, and some electronic sounds it is an album of grooves. Most lyrics are simple except for the last track which is also the longest. Will for sure be checking out more Beta Band after this.

Excellent work sounds indie and atmospheric. Great vocals and choruses. Solid and reliable work.

A great album.

Beats are freaking awesome

This is just what you'd get if the Flaming Lips were Scottish and occasionally incredibly whimsical.

Didn’t know what to expect from these guys, but it’s a good one. I’m sure I’ve heard Squares before - on The Beach album? Antway, listened to it straight through twice.

Indie plus electronica. Great vibe to this, loved the songs.

Hadn't heard this one before. Honestly, I thought the Dry The Rain album was their only one - delighted to be wrong!

I've enjoyed The Beta Band over the years, so it's nice to get one of their albums (one of two in this collection, it appears). I'm also impressed at how many songs on this album are also in the compilation album that I own--this is almost a greatest hits album on its own (it probably helps that they only produced three albums, though). I suspect their sound isn't to everyone's taste, but at least they can judge the band on a really solid album. My favorites are most of the tracks that I'm familiar with from the compilation album--the opening track "Square" (and its fun accompanying video), "Human being", "Gone", and "Broke"--plus "Dragon", the highly eclectic "Quiet", and "Life". A shame that they never really got the breaks they deserved to make it and stay big.

The Beta Band is a group I only started hearing about earlier this year, from catching one of their earliest hits, "Dry the Rain", on my Spotify Discover Weekly playlist. They're a Scottish indie rock group that combines elements of folk, psychedelia, electronica, post-rock, and trip-hop. They were rather big in the early 2000s, with their music featured in a couple of comedy-drama films and even opening for Radiohead after impressing them. After giving their second album, Hot Shots II, a few listens, I have come to respect them. It took a bit for this album to click with me, given its rather minimalistic approach in composition. I will say that there are moments where the arrangements sound gorgeously produced with Steve Mason's soft-spoken delivery and reverbed guitar lines, John Maclean's light keyboard flair paired with quaint electronic elements, and Robin Jones's lo-fi accented percussion. The record is a tad demanding to listen to, as the quieter playing and surrealist lyricism necessitate more of the listener's attention to pick up on the more subtle flourishes in the mix. But it is rewarding upon relisten. The spare cowbell under the chopped-up guitar strumming of "Alleged", the soft piano melody of "Gone", the backmasking used as the rhythm before crescendoing to the full-on drum blitz of "Human Being"; these are a few of the textures I enjoyed in my second listen. I ended up appreciating Hot Shots II and will consider paying more attention to the Beta Band, especially now that they reunited this year.

An English Air? I knew "the square". It's very pleasant to hear and a very good sound of its time. Like Air it's simple and does the job.

I loved this album. I hadn't really listened to the several albums I have of The Beta Band, but I am impressed. I need to get more of this and give it a listen. Well done

Pretty good band, nice songs, use of Daydream always welcome. Happy to explore this band further.

This is fun. Happy to have this discovery purely based on this project - will probably listen to this many times again.

Pretty good

Det hörs att Steve Mason ingår i bandet. Hans sentida album käns igen Det är typisk brittiskt Blandningen av och elektoniskt beats och pop En stark 4 Om jag hade hört detta 2001 när det gavs ut hade varit med på topp 10. Platsar det på 1001 bästa albumen någonsin? Förmodligen.

Had no idea what to expect from this but ended up liking it for the most part. “Squares” and “Dragon” have been on repeat for me ever since I finished the album. The last few songs blended together for me, but I thought it ended strong with “Eclipse.” While I liked this album, I didn’t love it. Nothing was bad, but some of it was just alright. I wish I could rate this 3.5 stars, but I actually think I’m going to round up, largely due to “Squares” and “Dragon” being on repeat and because I do feel like this album justifies its place on this list with its unique sound.

“If it’s not Scottish it’s crap!” - Mike Meyers, SNL

4.25

I’d only really heard Dry the Rain, which is great of course, and I really enjoyed this one as well. More like Alpha Band, bruh!

I wasn’t familiar with this band and wasn’t particularly excited to listen to it. I’m glad I did. It was a really nice listen! I’d listen to more.

“I will now sell five copies of The Three E.P.'s by The Beta Band.”

Love this. Interesting sounds, great vocals, mad lyrics. We all love pizza.

very soothing! a little derivative for my tastes

Pretty good, pretty groovy. Didn't quite blow me away.

Off to a fine start with Squares, which samples/interpolates Daydream effectively into a breezy downtempo stomp. Really enjoy Broke. Bells and pulsing bass are very satisfying. Life is a late album standout -- really enjoyed the instrumental on its own with the warm luscious bass and tasteful use of that click sound (not sure what it is tbh). I'd say that this is one of those albums that I appreciate as a whole more than I do for its individual parts. I enjoyed the spacey atmosphere of this album and found it to make a very pleasant listen this morning. Vocals are solid and the instrumentals are all nicely produced. For me this is a solid enough 4.

Nice I remember liking the last Beta Band album. Need to go back and listen to that. This album again is sonically great. All over the place but feels cohesive as well. Weird music but good weird. These guys make way better music than album covers.

Like The Beach Boys but they're just too sunny? Try Beta Band! Like Beck but he's too much of a Scientologist? Try Beta Band! Like Alt-J but wish they were around 15 years earlier? Try Beta Band!

Different alternative, but chill.

This has one of the strongest openings I've heard lately. Squares is SO good. And then I just kept vibing from there on out. It didn't keep up the energy the whole way through, which is a pity, but overall I really enjoyed it. I wasn't familiar with this group, so its one of my best finds so far!

Cool chill album with some interesting moments. Could be construed as boring sometimes but I am the target market for this kind of sound so it's a 3.5-4 for me 4 - will definitely listen again

Very cool album and band Id never heard of. Added to a playlist with Beck, LCD Soundsystem, etc.

the other album i heard from them Heroes to Zeros was probably the most boring album i've ever heard this is slightly less boring. i actually liked it. love the trip-hop influences that stuff always appeals to me

Two of the three songs I know from The Beta Band open this album, but I never thought to check out the rest. Really solid album. The tone is very mellow and intriguing, and the feel is almost psychedelic. Some parts of the album are a bit too repetitive and monotonous, but that just adds to the droning nature of it.

The Beta Band remind me of my days of skipping lectures to tour the second hand CD stores in search of a mental list of albums (a mixture of albums from bands I knew and liked, classic albums I hadn't heard but knew I "needed" in my collection, and hot albums I'd read about in NME). The Beta Band's 3 EPs was one that I searched for at length. I eventually found it for more than I wanted to pay, and with a damaged cover, but I was excited to add it to my collection. I couldn't tell you what it sounded like - that one was definitely more about the chase than the prize, and it never made it into regular rotation. I thought about it for the first time in years recently when I saw a question about EPs worthy of the list. This album reminds me of those simpler times. It's very "of it's time", but that's not a bad thing and it made me happy.

I don’t remember thinking this about them back in the day, but The Beta Band has some really pretty songs, like "Gone" and "Quiet." Maybe it has to do with frontman Steve Mason’s soothing and calming vocal style, like a quietly confident man in no hurry to convince you of anything and content to let his songs speak for him. But there's actually a lot to the music: slammin’ trip-hop beats, motorik rhythms, tasty basslines, cool electronic flourishes, nice harmonies and earworm refrains, all contained within engaging songs. It all adds up to a highly pleasant and enjoyable listening experience. FYI Allmusic calls this band “post-Britpop.”

This should have been a bigger part of my early-mid aughts experience when I had bands like Hot Chip in heavier rotation. I don't know how I missed it then, but I'm glad I heard it now. Good stuff!

I like this record. Not essential but a nice cross between trip hop and pop.

Such a uniquely and wonderfully weird band. Looking forward to see them on their current tour this fall.

If the Beach Boys were an indie group from the 2000's. I liked it. 4/5

This was my first time listening to The Beta Band, and after just one playthrough, I knew I had to download it and give it another spin. I was already familiar with Squares, which is a fantastic track, and I’m happy to say the rest of the album holds up well. It’s an easy, enjoyable listen with a laid-back vibe reminiscent of Gorillaz and MGMT — perfect for background listening. While it lacks a few standout moments, it’s consistently solid throughout. Favorite song: Squares — a great track. Least favorite: Honestly, every track earned its place on the album, but I wouldn’t have minded a couple more big hitters like Squares. Album artwork: Cool cover — though I’m still not sure what’s going on in the middle!

another one of those albums that ive never listened to in full but i recognize so many of these songs from tv shows, movies and car commercials

Like Gorillaz before Gorillaz existed. Solid album.

First discovered the Beta Band awhile ago with 'Dry the Rain' and 'Dog's Got a Bone', two great songs from their first album, but hadn't explored much beyond that. These songs are very much in the same vein - most are subdued and hypnotic at first but rising naturally over the course of the song to a satisfying crescendo. Mix that pattern with some pretty good hooks, creative sampling and just enough rhythmic variation and dynamic vocal layering and it adds up to a pretty unique sound. One of my favorite parts of this daily album review thing is it makes me more aware of my own biases, blind spots, hypocrisy etc. For example, I'm realizing now my stance on sampling is completely incoherent. Sometimes I say its lazy, sometimes I say it's derivative - but here I like the way songs sound so I'm saying it's totally fine, even innovative. Usually, I'm just making up intellectual, occasionally moral, justifications for whatever my ear happens to already like.

I first encountered The Beta Band back in like 2019 from a very strange documentary (the song was Its Not Too Beautiful from their first album IIRC -- apparently the band is famous for publicly hating their first album lol). Fast forward to 2025 and im hearing this... I felt like I was connecting a lot of dots on the first run. Im going to avoid talking about Squares (and yeah, that song is awesome, but its 100x more popular than the rest of the tracks). Al Sharp, Human Being are fantastic songs that sort of reset the mood after Squares. Really cool to see that Carole Fucking King was on Human being. Dragon picked up the slack from Gone. Loved the electronica sounds here. Things peak for me on Quiet. I don't know about y'all, but Im hearing this weird vocal harmony all over the place on this album -- stuff that I know Alt J does/did about 10 years ago where vocals stack on top of each other in weird cadences Also, apparently the Japanese version of this album featured a track that they wrote with Harry Nilsson. So cool 4 stars. Will definitely want a 3rd or 4th listen on this one. My one critique is that Gone sucked and that some songs were a tish too long.

I feel like my palate has been totally shot on Brit pop, so came into this with alot of anger toward the Verve. This ended up having so much more depth. Not quite tight enough to draw comparisons to Radiohead, but definitely Sounds of Alt-J, Django Django, or Thom Yorke solo stuff - dark blend of electronic and acoustic. The lyrics weren't great - Eclipse is kind of terrible or trying to be funny, such a weird ending? - and felt like some of the songs kind of flat-lined on a single idea, but the ideas were at least worth dwelling on for a bit. AI Sharp, Human Being, Gone, Broke - this whole thing really rewarded a repeat listen. I feel like every song had a section where I was like "this band kind of sucks", followed immediately a section where I needed to stop working and listen more closely. Kind of disorienting but pretty cool at the same time. Haven't really listened to Alt-J or Django Django in a long time - might dial them up today.

If you like accordion over drum machines then you'll probably like this. Definitely held my interest, kinda like a better Beck without the rapping lol

Very nice!

A pleasant surprise. Didn’t know the band by name but starting listening and went “oh, this song!” Broke was my favorite track.

Dreamy, experimental alt-pop. Lyrics are as silly as the cover art, but a great listening experience all the same.

I enjoyed bits of this but I do feel like this another band with solid musicianship trapped in the apparent need to have mediocre vocals smashing through everything. This about the time when some instrumental works became commercially successful so I'd have been keen for them to try that on for a track or two. My last rating was a "4 nearly a 5", this is definitely a "4 nearly a 3". What's this about not wanting to be on your own with a book?!

Mellow as.

Interesting

Doesn't contain any of the big hits, but still has some good moments, like the opening of 'Life' which is menacing and lyrically original.

Had absolutely no idea what to expect and am glad to say that I really enjoyed it. Varied but focused and fantastically produced. Another one I never would've checked out and plan on revisiting.

Okay, I love this. Why have I not ever listened to them?

Album 1035 for me, which also means album art 1035. This has to be the biggest mismatch on the list. You can't really argue this is spacy and for sure nothing explodes, or is bedazzled for that matter. Anyway, good album, never heard of them before, would listen again. Deserves to be on the list more than some other albums I've listened to, and I'm glad to have been exposed to it, but not making the revised list is also not unreasonable.

One digs records that mix an off-kilter, even outre, vibe with supreme listening ease and imminent diggability. This is such a record. All the cuts work well enough, but "Squares" and "Alleged" and "Eclipse" are one's faves.

Hot Shots II is a well crafted album and a fun, interesting listen. Had to listen to this one twice, and it was even better the second time through. A lot going on musically, especially in the background. Beta Band is hands down the best unheard of act on the 1001 List to date. Beckish! (4.7*s)

I don't love the band name (and let's not talk about the album name or the cover art) but this was a surprisingly good listen. I dig the groove sound, it's a unique blend of folk and electronica which I think is hard to do. A lot of the tracks were really catchy, I actually knew the first song "Squares" but not sure where from. I liked this enough to listen through a few times and check out some of their other work. The list provides again. I'm very into atmospheric, ambient rock so this was def up my alley. A few tracks left me wishing they pushed it to third gear but still very satisfied with the album (and more-so with the discovery). Of course there are people who won't like this "so no pizza for them." 3.5 for the grungy acid house Scots.

Looked up my rating of the other Beta Band album we've had and was surprised I went with '2 stars - the boring band' because i really liked this one

I agree with everything Sean said (getting lazy in my reviews).

Dare I say that after three listens yesterday, I really enjoyed this. McCartney style vocals, experimental millennium sounds, spacy guitar layers. The recipe for this cup of tea worked for me.

Fav song: Eclipse Reminds me SO much of Hot Chip who are one of my favourite bands so naturally I loved this album. Fantastic from start to finish - but sometimes gets lost in the sauce.

Repetitive but in all the right ways. Mumble rock for the win.

I found a thread on reddit a while back asking if anyone who worked at a record store had sold any albums a la the scene in High Fidelity with The Beta Band's The Three E.P.'s. I'd never heard of them before this as I still haven't gotten around to watching that movie (yet), but I did check out their song Dry the Rain, which I really liked. I was absolutely hooked by the first half of this album, like I was ready to give it 5 stars. I love the harmonies, and it's so otherworldly. I don't know how else to describe it, but songs like AI Sharp, Human Being, and Gone are how feeling homesick sounds. I was definitely reminded of Beck quite a bit, which is a positive for me. The last few songs kind of lost me, specifically Eclipse, which I found kind of annoying, actually. But otherwise a mostly solid album with lots of songs I'd love to add to my playlists.

Solid. Beta band just rocks solid tunes. 3.5/5

Experimentation at its peak early 2000s

Unique and easy-listening songs. Nice instrumentation arrangement and performances. Going to check out more by this band.

7/10.

Veeeeeeery enjoyable Broke is the highlight Really really liked it. Got better, solid

I listened to this twice and actually liked it so much more the first time than the second but oh well haha. Great great start, and honestly I did enjoy the whole album really. Very much the end of brit pop and obviously very influenced by The Stone Roses, which I like. The production is amazing and is has been engineered amazingly, the lyrics... I mean sure. Will I listen again? Actually quite possibly.

interesting

I really enjoy the Beta Band. I'm not sure why they chose to include this album over their debut but whatever. 3.5 rounding up

Better than their first album, but not as good as the 3 EPs

Enjoyed this. Heard of but not actively listened to these. Will explore further. An intriguing 3/4

Surprisingly enjoyable

Never listened to the full album before ....and I like it! I would say that over all it is a stronger set of songs than 3 EPs, nowithstanding the fact that there is nothing quite as transcening as Dry The Rain. What a song that is. Anyway a very enjoyable listen that I think will get more play that 3 EPs and that's saying something. 4 stars

Ok so this band seems painfully early 2000s but they don't sound too bad so far? They seem to know how to make good music that also is technically impressive. Squares Al Sharp!!!!!!!! Dragon!! Alleged! Eclipse This album is kinda nuts?! I thoroughly loved a lot of these songs and am super glad 1001 gave me this to listen to. There were some duds but over all super cool and unique

Ja wel fa2

I really didn't know what this was, even after listening. Are they really a band? Are they playing instruments or is a lot of this done digitally? Does it really matter? No, it doesn't. This was great. Very moody. From the first vocal line, I knew I was in for something a little more unique. What a great opener. Seriously, it really set the tone for the whole thing and let me know what to expect moving forward. Really felt like it lived in its own sonic space, like it existed in its own world and you'd be hard pressed to ever hear this on the radio or on TV. You'd only hear this when listening to the album and nowhere else, not because its somewhat obscure, but because where else would it fit? I really enjoyed this. Not enough to give it five starts, but definitely enough to give it four. One of the more innovative albums I've heard from this century. Standout Tracks: Squares, Human Being, Broke, Quiet

I liked the first half a lot more than the second half, tempted to drop it down to 3 stars because of the second half but I’m not going to. Very good harmonies I liked it

Experimental, groovy, fun. This is what I like to hear in a record. It has great rhythms, funky vocals and instruments and is a generally chill vibe with some psychedelic influences. Definitely some tracks I've heard sampled by other artists which was really nice to hear. I dig the eclectic dynamics of this one - great album.

So it turns out I really like The Beta Band. Maybe I should have explored further than the three EPs when I was younger. Such a nice chill vibe for a certain mood, with early psychedelic tendancies that don't outstay their welcome. Unique sound, unique voice.

I did not have high expectations for this, but I quite liked it! I think I'll listen to it again tomorrow too. I liked the spacy-ness, I thought several of the songs were quite catchy, and overall really mellow, good driving music.

Would return!

Det här var helt okej till bra Ska ge det lite fler lyssningar. Men gillade det jag hörde, Quiet t ex. Kul med nytt.

Kul med ännu mer trip-hop (för det här är fan inte rock) och med ett rätt unikt sound, vilket alltid uppskattas. Det är inte lika bra som t ex Portishead och Massive attack, men gillar det ändå. Svag fyra och skulle säkert växa med fler lyssningar.

Thought this would be a carbon copy of my review of Heroes and Villains a fortnight ago - ignore this and go directly to the 3 EPs. However I forgot how many good tracks were on this. I love their layered sound. Particularly Human Being, Broke and Quiet. Oh and obviously Squares. This actually great all the way through and I'm really pleased this prompted me to revisit.

I can honestly say I started Hot Shots II thinking I would hate it. I am extremely pleasantly surprised to discover a very unique and original record!

As the only surviving The Beta Band fan on planet Earth (they all got raptured back in '98), I have to say that this slaps. A more worthy inclusion than "Heroes to Zeroes" that I got a few weeks back, but I would still have just gone for "The Three EPs" instead.

"and the music we make is not particularily good" i mean it's alright, the cover sucks tho

4/5. I really enjoyed this album and a different genre that seems like a mix with a lot of other genres. Like it's soft rock, trip hop, pop, electronic, and alt rock. It has an atmospheric element where the vocals are more like an instrument. It's catchy so you can sing along yet still interesting enough to keep you coming back. I honestly didn't experience a bad song on here but there were some songs that were just okay on the latter part of the album, still a great listen. The other downside is the cover art is pretty trash lol. Best Song: Squares, Alleged, Dragon

Very enjoyable album, can see why they toured with Radiohead

This was a great listen. I liked the album fine but hadn’t picked it up since the early naughts.

Good album.

I've never listened to them intentionally before but I recognized several songs from this. I really like the vocalist's voice, and the minimalist electronic backing really compliments it well leading to a cool sultry and dark vibe.

Solides Album als Mischung aus Trance und elektronischen Songs. Positiv sind „Squares“ ausgefallen. Ruhiges angenehmes zum Wiederhören inspirierendes Arrangement.

Cool, trippy, sounds like it could be on The OC

Despite being name-dropped in High Fidelity (with praise and accompanying needle drop), I feel The Beta Band is still not as known as they should be. It warmed my heart to see this was on the list this morning, and it did not disappoint. Not as good as The Three E.P.’s, but a solid album.

I wish I’d discovered this album when it first came out, because I would’ve loved it. It’s a great mix of electronic driven neo psychedelia with trip hop beats, giving it a mid-tempo, laidback vibe. While it’s chill and mellow, it’s not quite as downtempo as something like Air. Overall, it’s a really easygoing album. Even though it’s a solid listen, I’d say it definitely carries a timestamp, it sounds very much like something from the late ’90s and early 2000s.

I've never heard of the Beta Band. I really like the music. I think I'll listen to it more often. 4/5

Very coherent album, clearly focused and obviously belonging together. Strong songs too.

Now I know where Jacob Collier got his vocal tone from! Jokes aside, this was a pleasant surprise. Beautifully atmospheric, sonically interesting and refreshingly out of time at a time when music was generally pretty shit. I love this!

For some reason, the vocals were slightly intolerable for me. Despite that, I enjoyed the album for the overall sounds.

I think any GenX’er who lived through the late ‘90s was familiar with the Kohn Cusack quote from High Fidelity: “I’m about to sell five copies of the Beta Band.” “Do it!” Sadly, I am as guilty as others who never made it beyond Dry the Rain. This album was really good. I’m surprised that The Beta Band didn’t get more play in America. However, this album, with its psychedelic nature, I think may have been too ethereal for American taste. Several songs on here stand out, with AI Sharp and Broke being my Top2. I’m gonna to this album many times!

"I will now sell 5 copies of the three E.P's by the Beta Band." Huge break to be featured in the movie High Fidelity. Squares might be their best song and Hot Shots II might be the better album too. This is still cool music anyway you slice it. I don't pull this one out often enough but I was pleased to listen to this lo-fi sort of hippie/electro/folk album. This probably more of a 3.5 but I'll round up and give them a 4.

I like their vocals and there are some great instrumental sounds and a fair bit of experimenting. A decent album, probably needs a few listens to be fully appreciated

I don't know why they picked this album over the 3EPs which I love a lot more (is it because 3 EPs does not equal 1 album?) This was very pleasant jangly harmonies and stuff. It has a lovely homemade feel to it.

I liked, but more as a background while I study

Actually quite good I just was distracted while listening to most of jt

I liked this album! Reminded me of TV on the Radio a little bit, probably just in how the vocals and harmonies played out. I was entertained and tapping my foot all the way to the end of Eclipse. Would listen again.

i wasn’t really expecting the album to be psychedelic but that is one of my favourite genres, it was a good listen overall, the intro was great i’m sure most people would recognise it, worth a good listen in my opinion

Unorthodox and a new kind of sound for me. It would be interesting to know more about the process of creation of these numbers - favourite song from the album, Alleged

Liked this one and the first song is the theme song to Severence which is cool

One great song, 9 good ones, and a bonus point for being Scottish. Sound like 4 stars where I come from!

This is a much more subdued Beta Band album than the last one I got on this list. It's just as good in many ways, but less fun to listen to overall. Still, the band manages to produce a really original sound that really works for them 4/5

Ret cool og speciel lyd

Well crafted underrated indie. Such a move on from the notorious debut. Greater than tbe sum of its parts. Brilliant hooks.